Apparatus mixing, filtering, reacting and drying materials

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for processing material having a chamber ( 100 ), a rotatably driven shaft ( 104 ) extending within the chamber to which is attached at least one element ( 110 ) which engages the material ( 102 ) in the chamber during rotation thereof and a drive mechanism ( 150, 170, 200 and 250 ) for rotating the driven shaft. The process includes (a) driving the driven shaft in one direction while the chamber contains the material in a liquid form while at least one of heat or a vacuum is applied to the chamber from a source 101 to reduce an amount of liquid present in the liquid material; (b) after step (a) driving the driven shaft while at least heat or vacuum is applied to the chamber to reduce an amount of liquid in the material in a first direction to cause the at least one element to engage the material through an angular rotation which lifts the material upward in the chamber while at least heat or vacuum is applied to the chamber to reduce an amount of liquid vehicle in the material in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to cause the at least one element to engage the material through an angular rotation which lifts the material upward in the chamber; and after step (b), driving the driven shaft in one direction while at least heat or vacuum is applied to the chamber to reduce an amount of liquid to particularize the material.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for processing material comprising: 
       a chamber for containing the material, a rotatably driven shaft extending within the chamber to which is attached at least one element which engages the material in the chamber during rotation thereof, a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatably driven shaft, at least one of a heat source thermally coupled to the chamber for adding heat to the chamber and a vacuum source also coupled to the chamber for applying a vacuum to the chamber with the at least one source driving off liquid present in the chamber and a control for controlling the drive mechanism and the at least one source and wherein:  
       the control controls the at least one source during rotation in first and second directions and the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in a first direction to cause the at least one element to engage the material, in a fluid state, while the chamber is partially filled with the material through an angular rotation which lifts the material upward beyond a level of the material in the chamber without reaching a position which is directly above the driven shaft while the at least one source drives off liquid in the material and the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to cause the at least one element to engage the material, in a fluid state, through an angular rotation which lifts the material beyond the level of the material in the chamber without reaching a position which is directly above the driven shaft while the at least one source drives off liquid in the material; and  
       after rotation of the driven shaft in the first and second directions the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction and the at least one source to drive off the liquid to produce dried material during the rotation in the one direction.  
     
     
       2. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions while the material is sufficiently viscous that the material would stick to the driven shaft if the material were to contact the drive shaft.  
     
     
       3. An apparatus in accordance with claim  2  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft through a plurality of sequential cycles with each cycle including rotation in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       4. An apparatus in accordance with claim  3  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to cause the material to increase in viscosity prior to controlling the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions; and  
       after completion of rotating of the driven shaft in the first and second directions, the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to particularize the material.  
     
     
       5. An apparatus in accordance with claim  4  wherein the drive mechanism comprises: 
       a first prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the one direction; and  
       a second prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       6. An apparatus in accordance with claim  5  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       7. An apparatus in accordance with claim  4  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during the rotations of the driven shaft in the one direction and during the rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions.  
     
     
       8. An apparatus in accordance with claim  2  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to cause the material to increase in viscosity prior to controlling the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions; and  
       after completion of rotating of the driven shaft in the first and second directions, the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to particularize the material.  
     
     
       9. An apparatus in accordance with claim  8  wherein the drive mechanism comprises: 
       a first prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the one direction; and  
       a second prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       10. An apparatus in accordance with claim  9  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       11. An apparatus in accordance with claim  8  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during the rotations of the driven shaft in the one direction and during the rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions.  
     
     
       12. An apparatus in accordance with claim  3  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during rotation of the driven shaft through the plurality of sequential cycles to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       13. An apparatus in accordance with claim  3  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       14. An apparatus in accordance with claim  2  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat being added to the material during controlling rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions to drive of f liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       15. An apparatus in accordance with claim  2  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       16. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft through a plurality of sequential cycles with each cycle including rotation in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       17. An apparatus in accordance with claim  16  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to cause the material to increase in viscosity prior to controlling the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions; and  
       after completion of rotating of the driven shaft in the first and second directions, the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to particularize the material.  
     
     
       18. An apparatus in accordance with claim  17  wherein the drive mechanism comprises: 
       a first prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the one direction; and  
       a second prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       19. An apparatus in accordance with claim  18  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       20. An apparatus in accordance with claim  17  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during the rotations of the driven shaft in the one direction and during the rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions.  
     
     
       21. An apparatus in accordance with claim  14  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during rotation of the driven shaft through the plurality of sequential cycles to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       22. An apparatus in accordance with claim  16  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       23. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  wherein: 
       the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to cause the material to increase in viscosity during the rotation in one direction prior to controlling the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in the first and second directions; and  
       after completion of rotating of the driven shaft in the first and second directions, the control controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction to particularize the material.  
     
     
       24. An apparatus in accordance with claim  23  wherein the drive mechanism comprises: 
       a first prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the one direction; and  
       a second prime mover, which is controlled by the control, which rotates the driven shaft in the first and second directions.  
     
     
       25. An apparatus in accordance with claim  24  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       26. An apparatus in accordance with claim  23  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during the rotations of the driven shaft in the one direction and during the rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       27. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  wherein: 
       the heat source adds heat to the material during rotation of the driven shaft in the first and the second directions to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       28. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  wherein: 
       the at least one element is spaced from a wall of the chamber.  
     
     
       29. An apparatus in accordance with claim  1  further comprising: 
       the vacuum source, coupled to the chamber, applies vacuum to the chamber to drive off liquid present in the material.  
     
     
       30. An apparatus for processing material comprising: 
       a chamber for containing the material, a rotatably driven shaft extending within the chamber to which is attached at least one element which engages the material in the chamber during rotation thereof, a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatably driven shaft, at least one of a heat source thermally coupled to the chamber for adding heat to the chamber and a vacuum source also coupled to the chamber for applying a vacuum to the chamber with the at least one source driving off liquid present in the chamber and a control means for controlling the drive mechanism and the at least one source and wherein:  
       the control means controls the at least one source during rotation in first and second directions and the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in a first direction to cause the at least one element to engage the material, in a fluid state, while the chamber is partially filled with the material through an angular rotation which lifts the material upward beyond a level of the material in the chamber without reaching a position which is directly above the driven shaft while the at least one source drives off liquid in the material and the control means controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to cause the at least one element to engage the material, in a fluid state, through an angular rotation which lifts the material beyond the level of the material in the chamber without reaching a position which is directly above the driven shaft while the at least one source drives off liquid in the material; and  
       after rotation of the driven shaft in the first and second directions, the control means controls the drive mechanism to rotate the driven shaft in one direction and the at least one source to drive off the liquid to produce dried material during the rotation in the one direction.